Payment terminal, information processing server, payment terminal control method, and program product

Abstract

The purpose of this server-managed electronic money system is to free the user from procedures required to use electronic money, allowing the electronic money to be used in approximately as short a time as stored-value electronic money systems. A portable terminal internally stores a mirror value of the server-side value balance, and an electronic money server stores the server-side value balance. When making a payment, a payment terminal either subtracts the payment amount from the mirror value, or, by referring to the mirror value, allows the user to complete the payment. By doing so, it is possible to complete payments as quickly as with stored-value electronic money. Later, an online request is made to the electronic money server to reduce (update) the server-side value balance.

1 - 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . A payment terminal comprising:
 a payment amount acquiring means that acquires a payment amount;   a determining means that determines whether or not immediate connection to an information processing server is possible, the information processing server that is accessible to a balance storing means that stores a balance of server-side electronic value in a state in which the balance is associated with terminal identification information by which a money terminal is identified;   a reference amount acquiring means that acquires, from the money terminal, a reference amount of the balance of server-side electronic value, the reference amount stored in the money terminal, after the determining means determines that immediate connection is possible;   a notifying means that notifies the information processing server of the payment amount in a state in which the payment amount is associated with the terminal identification information of the money terminal, such that the balance of server-side electronic value stored in the balance storing means is reduced by the payment amount before new payment processing is started if the payment amount is less than or equal to the reference amount; and   an outputting means that outputs information indicating completion of payment processing with the money terminal, the payment processing related to the payment amount, without waiting for a response to the notification made by the notifying means if the payment amount is less than or equal to the reference amount.   
     
     
         9 . The payment terminal according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the money terminal further stores a balance of terminal-side electronic value,   the payment terminal further comprises a terminal-side value balance updating means that sends reduction information to the money terminal, such that the balance of terminal-side electronic value stored in the money terminal is reduced by an amount of difference between the payment amount and the reference amount if the payment amount is not less than or equal to the reference amount, and   the notifying means notifies the information processing server of the reference amount in a state in which the reference amount is associated with the terminal identification information of the money terminal, such that the balance of server-side electronic value stored in the balance storing means is reduced by the reference amount before new payment processing is started if the payment amount is not less than or equal to the reference amount.   
     
     
         10 . The payment terminal according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a terminal-side reference amount updating means that sends reduction information to the money terminal, such that the reference amount is reduced by the payment amount if the payment amount is less than or equal to the reference amount,   wherein   the outputting means outputs information indicating completion of payment processing with the money terminal, the payment processing related to the payment amount, after the reference amount is reduced by the payment amount.   
     
     
         11 . The payment terminal according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the money terminal further stores a number of times of reference indicating a number of times the reference amount is referred to, and   the terminal-side reference amount updating means sends invalidation information to the money terminal, such that the reference amount is invalidated if the number of times of reference acquired from the money terminal is more than or equal to a predetermined threshold value.   
     
     
         12 . An information processing server comprising:
 a server-side value balance reducing means that reduces the balance of server-side electric value stored in the balance storing means by the amount notified from the notifying means of the payment terminal according to  claim 8 ; and   a sending means that sends reduction information to the money terminal, such that the reference amount stored in the money terminal is reduced by the amount reduced from the balance of server-side value.   
     
     
         13 . A payment terminal control method comprising:
 a payment amount acquiring step of acquiring a payment amount;   a determining step of determining whether or not immediate connection to an information processing server is possible, the information processing server that is accessible to a balance storing means that stores a balance of server-side electronic value in a state in which the balance is associated with terminal identification information by which a money terminal is identified;   a reference amount acquiring step of acquiring, from the money terminal, a reference amount of the balance of server-side electronic value, the reference amount stored in the money terminal, after determination is made in the determining step that immediate connection is possible;   a notifying step of notifying the information processing server of the payment amount in a state in which the payment amount is associated with the terminal identification information of the money terminal, such that the balance of server-side electronic value stored in the balance storing means is reduced by the payment amount before new payment processing is started if the payment amount is less than or equal to the reference amount; and   an outputting step of outputting information indicating completion of payment processing with the money terminal, the payment processing related to the payment amount, without waiting for a response to the notification output in the notifying step if the payment amount is less than or equal to the reference amount.   
     
     
         14 . A non-transitory computer readable medium on which a program product for a computer is recorded, the program product that makes a computer implement:
 a payment amount acquiring function of acquiring a payment amount;   a determining function of determining whether or not immediate connection to an information processing server is possible, the information processing server that is accessible to a balance storing means that stores a balance of server-side electronic value in a state in which the balance is associated with terminal identification information by which a money terminal is identified;   a reference amount acquiring function of acquiring, from the money terminal, a reference amount of the balance of server-side electronic value, the reference amount stored in the money terminal, after determination is made by the determining function that immediate connection is possible;   a notifying function of notifying the information processing server of the payment amount in a state in which the payment amount is associated with the terminal identification information of the money terminal, such that the balance of server-side electronic value stored in the balance storing means is reduced by the payment amount before new payment processing is started if the payment amount is less than or equal to the reference amount; and   an outputting function of outputting information indicating completion of payment processing with the money terminal, the payment processing related to the payment amount, without waiting for a response to the notification made by the notifying function if the payment amount is less than or equal to the reference amount.